BBC World Service

Listen Live

Next

Morning Edition

NPR's Morning Edition takes listeners around the country and the world with two hours of multi-faceted stories and commentaries that inform, challenge and occasionally amuse. Morning Edition is the most listened-to news radio program in the country.

In case you missed it: This week’s good reads about Pennsylvania cities

Students arrive on the first day of school in Philadelphia (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

It’s back to school without a budget. In this week’s city reads: school funding, affordable housing and the importance of volunteers.

School budgets

We are number two. Michigan is number one. The ranking reflects the number of school districts with credit ratings have been downgraded to “speculative.” To blame? An “entrenched” budget stalemate in Harrisburg, charter school payments, and pension costs.Over half of Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts have contacted State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale’s office and he is getting an earful. The budget impasse has already cost $11 million in interest payments just to keep schools open.

Braddock can boast that it has its own MacArthur Genius grant winner. LaToya Ruby Frazier, photographer and video artist, documents the collapse of the steel industry and its impact on industrial suburbs.

Day to day survival. That’s the goal of those who are considered to be deeply impoverished. Deep poverty isn’t just being poor; it often means being homeless and unemployed with higher rates of depression and suicide. Philadelphia has the highest deep poverty level among the 10 largest U.S. cities. (Philly.com)Research shows that a small increase in household income can improve outcomes for children with mental and behavioral health issues, including ADHD and depression. Reduced family stress over finances is a major contributing factor to better outcomes. (CityLab)

Wilkinsburg’s Hamnet Place neighborhood received an $11 million grant to restore the historic Falconhurst building and create 33 affordable housing units. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Serve somebody

Pennsylvania is 26th among the states in volunteerism. In cities with dwindling budgets and tight municipal finances, volunteers can fill the gaps in city services. But what are the best practices for volunteering? There is a playbook.

There’s a push for SEPTA to offer student discounts through a “School Partnership Program.” As of Tuesday, a Change.org petition had garnered over 700 signatures. (PlanPhilly)